Woodlawn Health announces retirement of chief nursing officer

'Our community has been forever changed due to her commitment to clinical excellence and putting the patient first.'

Paula McKinney, DNP, RN, NE-BC, will retire from Woodlawn Health on Dec. 13, 2024. 
During her tenure as the vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Woodlawn, she focused on developing and improving quality and safety, as well as the patient experience. She initiated the Swing Bed Program (Rehab to Home) and guided the attainment of Stroke and Chest Pain designations.

McKinney improved the educational platform for nursing staff to include required certifications, advanced annual training and simulation experiences, and spearheaded the implementation of the da Vinci and ROSA robots in surgery. She directed numerous LEAN process improvements across the organization, oversaw organizational-wide leadership development, led the redesign of the Universal Care Unit and supervised the restructuring of the emergency department to have a forward-facing triage.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, McKinney led her team to open and manage the Fulton County Health Department’s COVID test site, and they oversaw all the COVID processes for the hospital. She stepped in at the request of the board of trustees to serve as the interim chief executive officer until a replacement, Alan Fisher, was hired. Additionally, she was a member of the Fulton County EMS selection committee and now serves on the Parkview Fulton County EMS group.

“Our health system is stronger because of Paula’s leadership. Our community has been forever changed due to her commitment to clinical excellence and putting the patient first. She worked hard to leave Woodlawn in a better position than when she started. She will be missed, and her impact will continue for many more years to come,” Woodlawn Health CEO Alan Fisher said.

Woodlawn Health administration and employees thank McKinney for her service and commitment to the organization and wish her the very best.

–Woodlawn report